Insignia audiobook

Quick reaction: This book is so funny it will make you laugh until you start to cry. Then you'll actually cry--because this story is so raw, so complete, so fantastically satisfying that you'll marvel at how, yes, such brilliance finally, finally got published! I. am. in. love. with. this. book. Head-over-heels sort of love. If you love Divergent by Veronica Roth (which should be everyone of you out there reading this), you will be completely blown away by this book. Pre-order it! Now!:D**STARRED REVIEW**Actual, full review: Original will be posted on my blog on 6/14/2012. (Note: Due to copy-and-paste, formatting and links have been lost.)Insignia is insane. It is beautifully simplistic and complicatedly evocative. Crushingly despairing and hilariously witty. Intelligently phrased and bluntly honest.I am completely, head-over-heels in love with it.This book was not what I expected at all--in fact, I didn't expect anything. And the power this books holds is incredible: it is so subtle that you will not feel the choking grip the story and its characters have you until some thing called reality shocks you out of your numbing shell. The story isn't even just completely frightening in its very realistic interpretation of our future, but that it's also so funny. I laughed out loud so many times that it wasn't even embarrassing anymore since everyone was used to it (though I did get a few weird looks still...).Kincaid has delivered a tale that rocked books off of my favorites shelf like a hurricane. In other words? This book is dominating my love right now. And I can't even pinpoint what it is I loved about the book so much. Everything. It's just so not fair to pick one amazing aspect and laud it, you know? That would be like staring at the rainbow and calling one particle the best of them all. Inefficiently vague and insufficiently degrading.I can't say much about this book: too much and I will spill out a heap of feelings no one cares for, and too little so I would be incapable of expressing my love fully. I never say this, but if you loved Divergent, you will love Insignia so hard it'll hurt like plunging into the most dazzling lake from a hundred-feet cliff. Take my advice and snatch this book. It's the most amazing blend of humor and anguish, authenticity and dystopia, evasiveness and blunting that I have ever read. And you know I wouldn't ever lie to you about something like that.

AQUÍ PUEDES VER LA VIDEO RESEÑA COMPLETA QUE HICE: [https://youtu.be/WYMCqKgLrSg]Sin duda uno de los libros qué más me ha sorprendido este año. Aunque lo más interesante del libro sucede a la mitad, dejando que lo que pasa después se sienta como mero relleno o como una trama ya sin importancia, lo cierto es que la narrativa entretenida de este libro no decae en ningún momento. No le doy 5 estrellas sólo porque realmente la trama del protagonista, así como la del contexto histórico en que se encuentra ambientada la novela, para mi gusto, carece de una importancia o una relevancia real. Ahora me explico: aunque están en una 3ra Guerra Mundial, esta se pelea en el espacio exterior, con naves no tripuladas y piloteadas por adolescentes que se encuentran seguros en la Tierra, donde no hay ningún peligro ni amenaza real para ellos. Y por parte del protagonista, las consecuencias que pueden haber para él, (si lo echan del ejército, si le quitan el neuroprocesador que lo convierte en combatiente, o si lo acusan de traición) realmente no causarían ninguna diferencia para el mundo del libro. El protagonista, aunque carismático y empatizas con él, sale sobrando. Cualquiera de sus otros compañeros podría ser el protagonista, y la trama seguiría siendo prácticamente la misma. Pero repito, esta es la única razón por la que no alcanza las 5 estrellas, ya que fuera de eso, el libro es entretenido a más no poder, no hay relleno (excepto quizá lo que pasa después del clímax), tiene buenos personajes (todos los secundarios se destacan y tienen personalidades bien definidas),, situaciones entretenidas y la autora usa un realismo bastante impresionante a la hora de hacer todas las descripciones técnicas pertinentes al estar esta obra ambientada en un futuro cercano. Otro punto en contra es que aunque ya compré la segunda parte, realmente por ahora, este libro no me dejó con ningún incentivo o duda o algo emocionante que me haga querer ir a leerla, así que ese libro se quedará guardado hasta 2022.Dejo aquí el link a mi canal de YouTube, donde pronto estaré haciendo una reseña mucho más amplia y más detallada de este libro: https://linktr.ee/JorgeBalderas

Okay so here's the deal. I went into reading this book knowing very little about it. After a small nudge from Molly O'Neill and a fun conversation with S.J. Kincaid at BEA 2012, it quickly made its way to the top of my to-be-read list. This book is well written, with a plot that sucks you in, and characters that are easy to love. I've already told my mom (who is a middle school librarian) that she will need countless copies of Insignia for her library. The boys are going to eat this one up. But who else will want to read this? That answer is relatively simple. Everyone. If you love sci-fi or dystopian- this one is for you. If you have a teenage boy, know a teenage boy, are a teenage boy, used to be a teenage boy, or think like a teenage boy- this one is for you. If you're into video games, virtual reality, and some awesome action scenes- this one is for you. If you love well written YA books that make you smile, giggle, and even bite your nails with nervousness- this one is for you. If all you want out of a book is swoon, this one may not be what you're looking for. Tom is 14. (Actually, most of the main characters are around that age!) He is hilarious, and so real, but swoony he is not. He has all the potential in the world to produce buckets of swoon one day, but that's not where his story is at right now. With that said, if you're only looking for swoon I'm going to beg you to put that aside for a minute and pick up this book, I don't think you'll be disappointed. As a person who is a self-proclaimed sci-fi hater and swoony-boy lover, I am beyond thrilled that I took a chance on this one. You won't regret it either.

Un libro muy entretenido, personajes entrañables, destaca mucho temas de amistad y lealtad, me gusta cómo está ambientado y cómo funciona el lugar donde se desarrolla, lo de la realidad virtual y todo. Sobre todo me gustó que la guerra que se desata entre estudiantes sea utilizando programación: virus vs firewall. Me sacó muchas sonrisas y a veces carcajadas.Para ser el inicio de una trilogía no parece para nada introductorio y como es un libro de aprendizaje vas conociendo todo a la par que los personajes, lo que parece muy natural.Me intriga lo suficiente para continuar con la serie. Lo recomiendo para los que gustan de videojuegos, realidad virtual, estrategia y guerra.actualización:Al inicio le di 5 estrellas pero lo pensé mejor y le bajé a 4, recordé que hubo partes al principio en las que sentía que los personajes no corrían verdadero peligro.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4RTC!

3,75 tho Overall, it was a really fun read.

Insignia is one of the most science fiction(y) novels I have ever read. It's a high concept story, action packed, and full of intergalactic fighting with robots, sending fellow classmates viruses (because they have computers installed in their brains, of course), and spending time in playing virtual reality video games that feel incredibly real...I was so impressed with how detailed, imaginative, and intricate Insignia was. Not just the world-building (which, depending on what mood I'm in, can be hugely important to me), but also each individual character. S.J. Kincaid could've played it safe. Some YA authors (although it is not limited to YA) feel that because they are writing for children and teenagers, they do not have to be as detailed and technical, do as much research, or use much science (at least, make it sound like 'real' science), because children won't care or be interested in it anyway - something I feel very strongly against and believe underestimates young people. I do not feel Insignia does this at all but rather flatters its audience. Sometimes the concepts, information, and jargon could be a lot to take in at once, but the result was that it ended up being an extremely rewarding experience.I was also very surprised that Insignia was as character-driven as it was plot-driven. I found myself equally as interested in what was going to happen to certain characters (in particular Tom, our protagonist, and Wyatt, a highly talented fellow student with a knack for advanced programming) as I was finding out what was really going on with World War III and the Spire. It is full of incredibly talented, intelligent, witty, and dedicated teenagers. There were some pop culture references that made me feel like I was reading about real teenagers that were just in an unusual situation, and little moments that made me smile, that really captured what it feels like to having fun banter with some close friends.Although Insignia is part of a trilogy, I feel that it's important to mention that the ending will not leave you frustrated. It can easily be read as a standalone novel and does not end on a cliffhanger, which goes to show that a book does not need an open ending to draw readers back. It is going to make a fantastic movie - the rights have already been optioned - and I have absolutely no idea where the second and third books will take us.Insignia takes 'boarding school story' to another level; a highlight of its genre. The highly technical World War III set in space, and the remarkable band of young teenagers put at the forefront of the battle, will blow your socks off!Thank you Hot Key Books for providing this book for review!I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.

Insignia by S.J. Kincaid is outside my comfort zone. Way outside my comfort zone. There’s something about sci-fi that puts me off. At least that was what I thought before. I picked up Insignia because it was there and people were raving about it. I thought ‘Well, I’ll give it a chance’. Next thing I knew I was 150 pages into it and in love. I can’t tell you just how much I loved this book!Insignia has that undeniable quality that makes a spectacular book. I’m never good at pinpointing what exactly that is, I guess it’s just a combination of things. In this case it was a group of characters so likable that you wanted to be best friends with them and a world that was mind blowing unique. The world that Tom lives in is very different from ours, but it’s also shockingly similar. There’s tons of crazy technology and wars in space. There’s creepy controlling super corporations. They control all the Earth’s resources, therefore they control the government. It took me just a little while to get used to the lingo and fully understand the situation the world was in. Once I did I was in awe of the creativity.Tom, Vik, and Wyatt were some of the best written characters I’ve read in a long, long time. Tom was completely likable. He was honest and realistic. He came from a not so great background and that made him sympathetic. He was the type of character that you can’t help but love and root for. The bond between all the characters felt very….Harry Potter-ish to me. They stood up for each other. Their banter was fabulous and I laughed out loud so many times. I was actually reading one scene while on my exercise bike that made me laugh so hard I had to stop. It makes me laugh just think about it again.There’s really too many elements that made me love Insignia. I can’t possibly name them all. The school was awesome! The programing wars with other students were hilarious. The futuristic dystopian world was like no other. You’re just going to have to trust me when I say that this is a incredible book.If you’re like me, and think that Insignia isn’t your thing, I urge you to give it a chance. It’s definitely one of my favorites of the year. It has something for everyone. Great friendships, an amazing world, and it’s unputdownable. READ IT!

Okay, the thought that came to me about 70 times while reading the book was: This is a cross between Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (though I haven't finished that book, I've read enough to compare it to this one)It was pretty epic, I must admit. There is no hesitancy when saying that. The plot is fantastic, constantly leaving me on edge waiting for more, the characters were all so different and, well, funny (the Android and Man Hands are good examples), dialogue and the jokes - that were actually supposed to be jokes - were hilarious and witty (and other times just weird). It has the whole military-using-children/outer-space-epic-battles that is in Ender's Game, and the whole playing-virtual-reality-games/obsessing-over-a-girl thing. Well technically it's an obsessing-over-the-enemy thing then the girl one, but still. And there are still a lot of things that make this book different, as all books need. I really loved it.The characters:I would describe everyone, but they are something you have to experience for yourself to really understand how genius they are, so I will only do small descriptions.-Thomas (Tom/Doctor/Mordred) Raines: Sarcastic, Impulsive, Lone Wolf, Funny, and a tad crazy. (love him)-Wyatt (Man Hands/Evil Wench) last name forgotten from disuse: Genius, Anti-social, Blunt and Loyal.-Vikhram (Vik/Doctor/Spicy Indian) Last name forgotten from disuse: Stupid, Loyal, Immature and a by the book soldier.-(Russian guy whose name I forgot because his nickname, the Android, was too funny): Scrambled, Dedicated, and so gosh darn cute (in a clumsy puppy or laughing baby kind of way).I loved the Applied Sims, and the crazy people, and how not everything is explained too early, or how not everything ends in this book. To be honest, even with all the bloody hints toward the semi bad guy, I didn't figure out who it was until it was told to me, which is a pro to this book.Please read it, you won't regret it.

That computer in your head is a weapon, but it is a double-edged sword.- page 103 "War evolves over time. It's better to say, 'No one kills in this war yet.'"- page 105 "People are expendable. Period. The only difference between the nineteen fifties and today is that there are billions more of us expendable human beings."- page 106 "All the technology in the world can't change the fundamentals of human nature. There will always be war as long as human beings are capable of envy, hatred, and fear."- page 118 I love this book. It was highly recommended to me by one of my fifth-grade students. In fact, she repeatedly told me that I "had" to read this book. So, of course, I read it. And I am so glad I did. In this world, war is fought in space and there are no casualties. The war is fought by teenagers with computers implanted in their brains. They interface directly with the ships to control them. But, the war is not between countries, exactly. Oh, there are alliances between countries, but the companies are really controlling (and profiting from) the war. Tom Raines goes from a nobody with a drunk, gambler for a father, to a highly prized asset of the government. And, for the first time, he belongs somewhere, he has friends. I'm sure you can guess that having a computer implanted in your brain isn't all sunshine and rainbows. And Tom complicates it by being impulsive and maybe a bit crazy. But he is a teenage boy, so... The story is exciting, with enough twists that you aren't exactly sure who Tom should trust, but you root for him anyway. This is a Sunshine State Award nominated book in the 6-8 grade category.

I picked this up with pretty low expectations, a product of dystopia fatigue. Woah boy was I proven wrong. Mark my words, this one should hit big. Hopefully Harry Potter or Hunger Games big. I blew through over 400 pages in a single afternoon, forgoing dinner in order to find out what happened next.Insignia is everything that the dystopian genre was made for. Kincaid cribbed right from the headlines: countries run by dirty corporate money, wars fought with public funds for private wealth, and a world nearing ecological collapse, where food and even water itself is copyright protected.The plot dragged me at a breakneck pace towards the triumphant finish: a high-stakes battle fought by teenagers piloting spaceships with computers implanted in their brains. The rest is just as enthralling: high-stakes hackers, diabolical corporate fatcats, and grizzled war veterans vie for the exploitative control of the young soldiers billed as the charismatic face of a war fought for corporate profit. While the battlefields are in space, the war is over Democracy and free will -- both for sale to the highest, and most ruthless, bidder.The Occupy Wall Street generation will find plenty here to mesh neatly with their political ennui, bleak economic futures, and lives ruled by technology. Plus, with a full cast of vibrant secondary characters, teens are sure to find someone to relate to.Highly, highly recommended.

When I first read the synopsis I got confused...I honestly didn't understand what it was talking about.But it was at the library so I decided that it was worth a try!Apparently, this book is about a 14 year old boy named Tom who has a special talent of...playing video games!When a government agency discovers his talent, they decide to take him in to help fight in the war.You might be wondering, How does playing video games help fight in a war?Well, this book takes place in the future and they found out that having a war on Earth is dangerous for the people so the wars are fought in space.But then there's the fact that people die in wars! So they also made it so the wars are video game controlled instead of actual people fighting.Make sense? (I hope it made sense)Anyway, The was an AMAZING book and i'm so glad that I picked it up!I absolutely LOVED the technology!And believe me there was A LOT of technology!Anyway, before I start rambling...You should really read this book!